Nothing like winterizing to uncover major problems

[wx5svr]

Due to my busy schedule with graduate school and teaching labs I decided to drop my boat off to be winterized at a local shop. Well yesterday I received a wonderful call from the mechanic. Next thing I knew a $100 winterizing turned into a ~$850 service ticket. The mechanic went to drain the gear oil from the lower unit and all that came out was water. Luckily my outdrive is still in perfect condition although the seal and "seal holder" ($69 part) need to be replaced; the original impeller is also being replaced as a precaution. It was also found that the gimble bearing is in dire need of replacement. Apparently that explains the loud engine noise.

Although all very necessary, the cost is a lot less than it could have been if damage had occured to the outdrive.

Hope everyone else's winterizing goes as planned.

Graham

 

[Shining]

Sorry to hear about that. My brother had the same thing
happen to him last month when he brought his boat in to winterize.
You gotta love it!

 

[Nehalennia]

Graham,
Yes, sorry to hear about that but I think you caught it early and you'll be happy in the spring when you know that everything is "good to go"

 

[sebagoman007]

Graham:

I feel your pain. To quote my boatyard guy:

"What the h**l happened to that new outdrive? It looks like a friggin' shark got to it!!"

(not many sharks in Sebago Lake....) Sigh........

Bill

 

[Stray Cat]

The mechanic went to drain the gear oil from the lower unit and all that came out was water.

Cool...an internal water cooled outdrive...what will Mercruiser think of next!

Good job gettin-it-done.

 

[Stray Cat]

The mechanic went to drain the gear oil from the lower unit and all that came out was water.

Sweet....an internal water cooled outdrive...what will Mercruiser think of next!

Good job gettin-it-done.

 

[water rat]

Bummer. It could have been way worse, and at least you weren't out on a lake somewhere... stranded... in the middle of a storm... without any beer....

 

[Dave M.]

The mechanic went to drain the gear oil from the lower unit and all that came out was water. Luckily my outdrive is still in perfect condition although the seal and "seal holder" ($69 part) need to be replaced; the original impeller is also being replaced as a precaution.
Graham

I've mentioned it before but will say it again. Change the oil in your outdrive before it freezes. If it freezes with water in there, you will have a LOT of broken parts.